Reloader

Ive used back yard ranges at two different places Ive lived, the first was at my dad's place in PA. He had a spot on the edge of the yard picked out for the berm (backstop) and had a buldozer just scrape the ground a few passes to pile up about 8ft of dirt then he built a 2x4 frame to mount targets to or stand plastic bottles on. works great, just had to cut a shooting lane in the trees and build a bench. The other was at a friends place in Iowa. He bought an old corn field that was terraced and simply put his house on one end and used a 12ft terrace cut to put his target frames against. He uses mostly steel pendulums for his targets as he currently does mostly cowboy action calibers. If you don't have natural hills in a good spot and can't or don't want to get a bull dozer in there then order a load of sand or fill dirt and have it dumped wherever you want the berm. One caution, if you use a natural hill, scrape topsoil into a berm, or get a load of fill dirt, CHECK it for significant rocks before shooting to avoid ricochets.

The article stated, "Scott Mayeda, the police chief in Virden...confirmed that district officials had called him Friday and asked what criminal charges might be involved to help guide the district's investigation of the matter. But police have not looked into what happened because no one has asked". It is up to the parents' of the students who were hazed to press any charges. It is also up to those same parents to decide what to reveal about what happened to their children to the rest of the school or town. Obviously they have not yet made that choice, or expect the school to do so even though the school can't press any charges since the school itself was not the "defendant" of the crime(s) involved. Simple hazing may be a part of "tradition" as some put it, and that is all well and excusable when kept "appropriate" and is applied evenly across all of the incoming players. However, it is totaly inexcusable when less popular players are targeted out of proportion or when that hazing crosses the line into criminal activities, slightly before really but I don't have the time to truly explain where I think that line is. well...nuf said for now...

Put the first 50 rounds of FMJ practice ammo through it today. Not a single malfunction or failure to feed even with the factory mags and it definitely shoots better than I do. At 7 paces I was able to fire a 1 inch 5 shot group off-hand, three holes are touching and two are just outside the center ragged hole. I am far from a great shot with pistols above 9mm so I anticipate that group size is much more to do with my own abilities than those of the firearm. Hopefully I can change that now that I have one to practice with...

I went out today and picked up a 1911 for my birthday present to myself. I had been planning to get one in 9mm but after reviewing the hunting regulations again I decided to go for the .45ACP. I found a Taurus PT 1911 fully loaded for just under $600. Everything I have read from people who own one says they are sweet guns and very reliable. I am thinking about loading some hunting rounds to use it on close range deer. Any sugestions on bullet or powder selection? So far I am thinking a Hornady 185grain XTP hollowpoint in front of a load of Unique powder...Alliant claims a MV of 1030fps with a reasonably pressured loading, we shall see if the gun likes it after I break it in on some factory FMJ Speer practice rounds.

ok I tried this 2 years ago and got skunked...didn't sign up last year but took a modest buck...so if I sign up this year and get skunked...well you get the idea... reloader 29 as of tomorow Oct 6 - January 5 (various seasons)

Well I guess I am being a bit redundant here, but have you ever fired any pistols larger than a .22. If not that may be why your dad is sugesting it. You may want to listen to him, he knows your situation and abilities. Again if you can't handle higher levels of recoil COMFORTABLY AND ACCURATELY, then stick with a very accurate .22 such as the Ruger Mk I, II, or III. Even for larger threats it will work if you place your shots in the head, and no matter what anyone says regarding the stoping power of any caliber for a human attacker, I doubt they will volunteer to be a target to prove a .22 won't stop them. :0 Also don't forget you are hunting, that means you are already carying something capable of killing things... If you insist on a larger caliber pistol, and since concealability does not matter, I would sugest a full size metal frame semi auto in 9mm. The full size metal frame increases gun weight and decreases recoil, as does the semi auto as the mechanism uses recoil energy function, directly or indirectly depending on the design.

Sounds like you need to do a bit of thinking about what you really need. You started out asking about a .22 cal. But your second post says you don't want something underpowered. Are you looking for something as a defence against big threats (bears, big cats, wolves and people) or for smaller threats (snakes). The next question is, What calibers do you have experience with, and of those what are you comfortable shooting? If you are worried about bigger threats and are comfortable with it, a 9mm is probobly best. If smaller animal threats then a .22 is fine even if you are comfortable with a larger gun. Next question, you said you are going to carry it while hunting. What are your state laws concerning carying a handgun while hunting, are you allowed to have a concealed handgun or does it have to be worn in the open? If you plan to or have to wear it in the open you can afford a larger frame pistol than if you plan to conceal it, and the larger frame will balance a heavier caliber's recoil. If you are not familiar with heavier caliber pistols try renting a couple at a gun range or use a friend's before you buy one to see if you are comfortable with it. Honestly, if you are not comfortable with the larger calibers, you are better off with a target 22 like the Ruger Mark III (you can buy a ruger Mk I, II, or III used for about your price range or a tad more) posted above even if you are worried about bigger threats. The largest bear on record for a while out in california was one killed by a woman who was out quail hunting with a .22 short rifle. The bear charged and she emptied her rifle into its face and head, one or two rounds found soft spots in the eyes and skull to hit brain and kill it instantly, proving once and for all it is about shot placement rather than caliber/muzzle energy...not that I plan to take a 22 short on my next bear hunt LOL.

Way to go! Nice buck and a great grin on your face! James

Ditto that. Congrats on the rescue and my prayers that your burns heal quickly and well! James

I use the loose Triple 7. Primarily because it is so much cheaper. As for ease of reloading I do what wtnhunt said...pre measure a few loads into a quick load tube adn keep the bullets seperate. Just dump the tube and ram the bullet/sabot. As to the theory that they are cleaner, they are the same thing just the pellets are compressed together, seems to me the loose would be cleaner since it doesn't have anything in it to help hold form. But don't quote me on that, havent' realy checked into it much. James

That is a cool offer Randy! I sent them my info...now just gotta wait and see if I was to slow. LOL Thanks for the offer even if I don't get it James

It is my full intention to give the bear a lead salute. Either a 300 grain Hornady SST sabot in front of 150 grains of loose powder or a 30 cal 180 grain Nosler Partition in front of a load of IMR 4895. Something tells me this bear aint gonna respond favorably to paint balls. Watching the trails makes sense to me Buckee...I will have to do some quick scouting up there in September or October shortly before the season opens for ML and then rifle...not sure I wanna go bow and arrow on my first bear...

My supervisor at work has about 20 acres up against a national forest in VA and has a bear that keeps coming onto her land and doing a bunch of property damage. She has tried several things to get rid of it, but it just seems to like her property. She even stood on her back porch and emptied her pistol into the ground near it hoping to scare it...all it did was look at her like "ya what do you want?" and then keep tearing up the siding on her shed. Then she called the game department to have them trap it but they whon't return her calls. So, despite being a nonhunter, she has decided there is no other viable option except to have a hunter she trusts take it out this season. That lucky hunter would be me and on other co worker who also hunts. I have never done any bear hunting and short of setting up a stand and sitting in it every night for a week or so Im not sure what to do to increase my chances. Anyone have any advice on extra stuff we could do or things we should try? BTW baiting is illegal for bears in VA...

OK since no one else seems to be answering your real question...let me take a stab at it. I currently use a New Frontier Muzzleloader. I had also heard that they had a bad reputation for safety, but once I started reading closely I couldn't find any evidence that supported the reputation. So I went to Cabellas and looked at one they had on sale for $78. I talked to a bunch of people in the guns section but none of them could substantiate any of the "safety issues" either and I finally just bought the gun. I have not been disappointed. I have never had a misfire, even when hunting in wet (not downpour...just wet) conditions and it is nearly as accurate as my centerfires. I get consistent 1-inch groups at 50 yards as long as I swab one wet, then one dry patch every other shot. At 25 yards I could shoot shotgun shell empties off my target frame consistently, offhand, even before I put a scope on it. The only downside if you want to call it that...and I think where the rumors of safety issues came from is that the bolt/striking face and the breech plug get very dirty, indicating that some fire volume is lost out the open action...however this doesn't seem to cause any real problems in ignition or safety I can see. It just makes it harder to clean than a closed breach gun like the T/C and Knight guns. Hope that helps... Oh if you care I am currently using 300 grain Hornady SST Sabots in front of 100 grains of loose Triple 7 powder

That is a valid point. I had never heard that before...but I must say it goes beyond "silly". That is the stupidest line of lawyer talk I have heard in a long time. Fortunately I don't go for "hot loads", just reliable ones.

On target as usual popgun..I have contemplated shopping pawn shops and used gun racks. The Kimber's are unlikely to be on a used shelf yet since they are a relatively new model, but many of the others would be readily available there. AJ I like the CZ75...I looked at the CZ line earlier and somehow missed that gun, thanks for the comment. I have bought used guns in the past, but only from gun shops that I trust to sell a properly inspected gun and stand behind it if they mised some signifigant flaw. How do you go about buying guns from pawn shops and gun shows to ensure you get a quality fire-arm and not a shot out abused paper weight?

Thanks popgun...the 5906 does fit my basic concept of what a pistol should look like...but with a sticker price nearly that of the Kimber ($1,046 vs $1,099), I may still have to go Kimber. I need to go to a big gun shop that will have them in stock and check the feel first though...never handled a S&W.

My personal opinion on wheel vs Semi though is that modern Semi pistols when properly cared for are just as reliable in a pinch as a wheel gun. That said, whatever you are most confident in will be the best for you. If you feel a wheel gun is more reliable then you will use it with greater confidence. If you feel that having a few extra rounds up the pipe is reasuring then a semi may give you that extra boost of confidence. I totaly agree with practice no matter what you are using. Remember, Practice boosts two things Confidence and Competence. Both are essential. I gotta disagree with Life NRA here. Factory ammo designed for personal protection is great I am not arguing that, but I was raised to reload for anything truly esential. My plinking reloads and my hunting/protection reloads are two different concepts though. I hunt with ammo I reloaded from quality components and uniform everything on every round. Again it comes down to Confidence. I know I took every care in developing, testing and assembling my critical reloads. That extra involvement and control gives me an extra boost of confidence. So for me it is the best choice. That doesn't make it the best for everyone...and if you have a buddy reloading for you...well I hope you trust your buddy but, sorry, I wouldn't use someone elses reloads for personal protection or hunting. (I do use my dad's reloads...but only in his guns and only becuase he taught me how to reload...I know he knows his stuff and pays attention to the details.)

Read the ramble then answer my two questions at the end...pls OK I have been dreaming of getting a 9mm pistol for quite a while now and with the new job I just got I will be able to save up for one this summer...but now I actualy have to answer the eternal question instead of just pondering it...What gun fits my style?!? I love the look of the 1911's but I don't want a 45. The new polymer frame semi-autos look...well... toyish to me. (I understand Glocks and some of the other polymers are great guns I just don't like their aesthetics.) I had narrowed it down to buying a Beretta 92FS Vertec(standard 92FS but the barrel is chopped to 4.7 inches so it doesn't extend past the slide), until this morning when I called a few gun shops and learned that Beretta doesn't import the Vertec, and I realy don't like the extended barrel look. Now I am looking at what may be the perfect pistol for me, but of course with perfection comes a hefty price tag...a Kimber Custom Aegis II. 1911 platform chambered for the 9mm. But with a price tag of $1100 it is about $450 more than the Beretta. By the way, I intend this pistol to be mainly target shooting and home defence. The questions are: 1 Anyone know of another mid price 9mm that has the older classic styling?(include pics or links to pics if possible.) 2 Even if there are others, should I just go for the Kimber since it does seem so perfect and Kimber is reputed to be one of the best "production" 1911's available.

Only forgot one step... Automaticaly DISQUALIFIY any of the above from Adopting or working with impresionable kids...

Who was her running mate...maybe they would have to make that a double date....

lol The real question:They cause 35% of accidents but what percentage of drivers are they?? sorry to hijack your joke with a serious answer...hehe

Re: Hillary\'s Clock Very old joke...but still funny.

Re: The few...the proud...The OTPG!!!!!!! As soon as I can afford it Im getting a 325 WSM...but wishes aint fishes so I guess I will have a seat on the porch...pass the cocoa!

Re: Ruger M77 Mark II I own a ruger M77 ultralight (16.5 inch barrel) in 30-06 and I grew up shooting standard M77mk1s in various calibers and absolutely love them. They all shoot sub MOA, my 06 consistently shoots 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards from a cold barrel. there is one downside to the UL/Compact and that is that the barrel heats up faster and that can affect point of aim after 5 or so rapid shots. I wouldn't hesitate to recomend any M77 to anyone looking for a hunting rifle...I must admit though that the M77's have a total "lawyer trigger" breaks cleanly but very heavy trigger pull...